The Old Songs

Something happened over the weekend that led me to a realization. We were performing in a show and by most counts, we did quite well. There were a few minor glitches as is normal with a live performance. When it was over, however, there seemed to be something missing. It’s been eating at me for days now, and I finally realized what it was.

I realized that we sang the notes and words, but didn’t sing the songs! There was no soul in the music. One look in the mirror and I saw the reason.

Getting out of the way

In Director’s College this past August, I was instructed to turn the ownership of the music to the singers. During rehearsals, I am the director. The singers depend on me to convey how I want a song performed. At the same time, I must also encourage the chorus to take ownership of the music so they don’t depend on me on stage.

We barbershoppers drill on techniques, practice our breathing and vowel targets, do vocal exercises, and rehearse the choreography. Perhaps we don’t spend enough time on teaching how to sing with soul. I know I haven’t, but that will change.

To me, singing with soul means to first be able to understand what the music is trying to say. Then the singers must have the ability and training to convey that feeling through the voice, tone, body, and energy.

This crystallized for me today while listening to some very beautiful polyphonic chants on my local classical radio station. I realized that, although the harmonics were lovely and the singing accurate, there was no emotion in the sound.

We barbershoppers have the opportunity to sing with emotion, to sing with soul. I will not pass up another chance to train my singers in this valuable tool. Rehearsals are so much more than learning notes and words. Rehearsals are for finding the soul of the music and sharing it with the audience.

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